Men Delaying Bariatric Surgery at their Own Risk

According to University of California research, while women are more likely to seek bariatric surgery, their male counterparts are risking health problems by putting theirs back. The journal Surgical Endoscopy noted, by the time men consult their doctor about surgery, they are older, more obese and sicker than women.

Researchers examined data from 1,400 patients evaluated for weight-loss surgery at UC Davis between 2002 and 2006, 82% of whom were female. The men had more obesity-related health problems (an average of 4.5 versus 4.2) and more serious conditions.

Men were more likely to have high blood pressure (69% vs. 55%), diabetes (36% vs. 29%) and obstructive sleep apnoea (7% vs. 4%). Notably, 70% of the patients in the study who had undergone weight-loss surgery, only 14% were men.

The study also concluded that while men typically comprise less than 20% of bariatric surgery patients, they have more to gain from bariatric operations. The main risk for men presenting later in life is the likelihood of more advanced obesity and more complications in future.

Importantly, even though weight, health, quality of life, psychosocial function and lifespan of obese men could be dramatically improved by surgical weight loss, Adelaide Bariatric Centre’s surgeons will always balance potential benefits against the patient’s risk for post-surgical complications.